From 0 to IRONMAN 70.3 in 1 Year

Commitment and Perseverance

Rohit Sharma first connected with us in November of 2018. He was brand new to the world of triathlon (i.e. had not yet completed a triathlon). However, despite not knowing how to swim, he had his eyes set on IRONMAN 70.3 Atlantic City the following September. The table for his triathlon journey was set.

Finishing a half IRONMAN in your first year in triathlon is a HUGE goal, but it can be done if the athlete is committed. Fortunately, Rohit was 100% committed to his triathlon training and we had 10 months to help prepare him.

Time to get to work!

Rohit’s Triathlon Journey

Rohit’s triathlon journey was NOT smooth sailing. Not to any fault of is own, but achieving any meaningful goal in short time is rarely easy.

After a couple months of swim instruction, Rohit was finally able to swim laps in the pool. This was a HUGE milestone.

His first triathlon was scheduled for May and he didn’t have a chance to get in the open water prior to the race. That day, Rohit’s race started and quickly ended. He never made it out of the water. It wasn’t that he couldn’t swim, … it was just that the open water with lots of people was a significantly different experience.

Rohit was deflated.

Following the race, we worked with Rohit in the open water and built his confidence. He was a new man.

Long story short, Rohit continued to push forward and ultimately persevered. He completed Atlantic City 70.3 that September and learned a ton about himself along the way.

Below is a Q & A with Rohit on his triathlon journey. We hope you will find it informative and inspirational.

How and Why did you get into triathlon? Did you have an athletic background?

I vividly remember going to my first triathlon event as a spectator to watch a friend race. Everyone was so supportive, kind, and uplifting to one another. It was the ideal world I had always envisioned in my mind – an example of how the world would be if we would all just come together under the guise of one mission and a common struggle.

After spectating, I was hooked on the vibes alone.

I quickly fell in love with cycling, which was one of the main reasons I chose to become a triathlete.

Regardless of having no formal athletic background, living a healthy lifestyle was always a priority of mine. After having accomplished all of the mundane adulthood formalities, I decided to dive into this new challenge.

Were there any obstacles you had to to overcome along the way to your race?

One of the biggest obstacles in my path was not knowing how to swim.

My mentality has always been: I am never too old to learn, and it is never too late to start.

That philosophy propelled me to learn how to swim. I also maintained a philosophy of conquering all natural venues of locomotion: swimming, biking, and running.

I am not a quitter, so quitting was never an option for me, even when things became tough, disheartening, and seemingly impossible. I learned to accept my failures in the most literal way throughout my ironman70.3 journey.   

Fortunately, I had a lot of support from family, friends, and of course, my coaches.

Why did you decide to hire a coach and more specifically RTA to help prepare you for your races?

I decided to be coached full-time when I realized that I can’t be an expert in everything. There are people who specialize in every area of life, and you cannot be all of them.

I didn’t want to waste any time with trial and error, and wanted to do it right the first time. I viewed it as going back to school.

After doing a few Google searches for coaches, I came upon RTA. Following the first phone call, I knew that RTA was going to be the right fit for me. Good thing I trusted my gut on this one. My finish line photo speaks for itself.

You recently completed IRONMAN® AC 70.3, what was that like?

After having completed my 70.3 in great shape, words cannot even come close to describing how I felt.

Nothing else in life mattered anymore. I was reborn, evolved, and leveled up many levels mentally, spiritually, and physically. I felt like I could literally do anything I wanted, and that literally anything is possible when you put in the work.

Do you know what it feels like to genuinely believe in yourself? I did after crossing that finish line.

What was the best part of the race?

The best part of the race was all of the support thrown at everyone competing. I loved the positive and uplifting vibes of the race.

Having initially feared open water, midway into the swim, I began to enjoy the swim itself!

 
What will you do differently next time (if anything)?

The only thing I will do differently this time around, is pay more attention to my race nutrition as I train and race.

What was going through your head when you crossed the finished line?

As I came to the finish line and crossed it, pure happiness inundated my spirit. Only those of us who have truly experienced happiness, and were aware enough to realize it, will understand that feeling. Others will just see it as a word. Happiness is all I felt.

Any general advice you’d give to others thinking about doing their first 70.3?

To those newly embarking on the 70.3 journey, I say to them that it won’t be easy, but like anything in life, the harder it is, the bigger the reward to yourself in the end.

Do it. Do it amidst self-doubt, amidst discouragement, amidst disappointment, and amidst self-perceived impossibility. Just do it

What’s next for you?

What’s next for me? A lifetime of 70.3s and eventually the full 140.6. I know I can do it now. I can do anything.